PDEA ready to test poll bets for drug use

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino said the agency is ready to carry out surprise drug tests on candidates in the 2019 elections.

Aquino said he realizes that there are legal experts who consider such drug tests to be illegal, costly and difficult to administer, but PDEA is prepared to do its sworn duty to rid the country of illegal drugs.

He said he remains hopeful candidates would voluntarily submit to mandatory drug testing once they are elected, as the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) had suggested.

“As civil servants, we must lead by example of living a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. We cannot expect the Filipino people to be drug-free if we, ourselves, are involved in these substances,” DDB Chairman Catalino Cuy said in a statement.

DDB Regulation No. 13, series of 2018, provides for the establishment of drug-free workplace policies in all government offices, which includes drug testing for local officials and appointive public officers.

The regulation covers all appointive public officers and elective officials of local government units.

PDEA has been the lead agency in President Duterte’s crusade against drugs, which has led to the arrest of 164,265 drug personalities from the start of the Duterte administration up to last November 30.

Among those apprehended were 606 government workers — 260 of them elected officials, 66 uniformed personnel, and 280 government employees.

There have been 5,050 drug personalities killed during the government’s anti-illegal drug operations during that period.

PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said the figures were carefully collated and checked before being released.

He added that 159 of the arrested drug personalities were foreigners — 48 Chinese, 12 Americans, 25 Taiwanese, and 74 other nationalities.

R128.96 million worth of illegal drugs and equipment were seized in November alone. But since the start of the Duterte administration in July 2016, R25.19 billion worth of illegal drugs and equipment have been seized.

A total of 296 law enforcers were dismissed from service for drug use, while

142 personnel were sacked for other drug-related offenses.

Authorities also arrested 1,861 minors consisting of 1,001 pushers, 501 possessors; 255 users; 93 visitors of drug den; six drug den maintainers; three drug den employees and two cultivators.